Although the utility of this feature is limited, if you are considering switching to Google Docs, this might tip the scales.

How it works

First, access the Google Docs website from your smartphone (iPhone and Android users should have no problem). Once there, click on the “edit” button to allow mobile editing functions. It is not clear whether you can perform all of the regular functions of Google Docs while editing on the go. This might not be much of an issue however, as you are unlikely to perform complex editing on your smartphone.

Perhaps the best function is voice transcription. If you use an Android device, you can use voice input within Google Docs. Although a noisy bus or subway car may not lend itself to voice transcription, there are other situations where this is handy. At the very least, talking to your smartphone is generally easier than typing on it.

Give it a shot

If you use Google Docs on your computer, you are undoubtedly aware that it is free. Same thing with the mobile version and mobile editing. If you already use Google Docs for word processing and store your documents within Google Docs, this is an awesome new feature. While editing/drafting docs on a smartphone is not ideal, it is nice to have that option.

The other plus is that Google is always adding new features to their programs and applications—you can bet it will only get better with time. On the other hand, Google Docs does lack some of the features of Microsoft Word. Depending on what you need to do, switching to Google Docs could be a great move.

Randall sues debt collectors that harass consumers, assists consumers with student loan issues, and defends consumers in debt collection lawsuits. He is also an attorney instructor at the University of Minnesota Law School.